Tuesday, July 28, 2015

The Orkney Islands is an archipelago of 70 islands north of Scotland. The islands sit between Scotland and the Shetland Islands. Only 20 of the islands are inhabited with a total population over 21,300. The locals are known as Orcadians.

The largest island is Mainland which is the 6th largest island is Scotland and the 10th largest in the United Kingdom. The biggest settlement is Kirkwall which is also the capital.

Between 875 and 1472 the islands were a part of Norway which helps
explain why the flag is almost identical to Norway's except for yellow
stripes instead of white stripes.
The islands have been inhabited for 8,500 years. Some of the oldest Neolithic sites in Europe are here and are collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.